John Huff/Staff photographer
Mrs. New Hampshire America 2013 and Barrington resident Tess Conroy meets with Foster’s Daily Democrat recently for her first interview.

BARRINGTON — “Pageantry is really fun. They call it a sisterhood,” said Tess Conroy of Barrington.

On Sunday, Jan. 13, Conroy, 38, was crowned Mrs. New Hampshire America at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Nashua.

“I was first runner up last year so I went for it again,” said Conroy.

Conroy moved to New Hampshire six years ago and took a job at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital as an MRI technologist. She lives with her husband Jim, three foster children and four Jack Russell terriers.

Conroy has been a foster parent since July.

“One day I got a call and by 5 p.m. they were at my door. The three little ones helped me keep in shape for the pageant,” said Conroy, who worked with the Department of Children, Youth, and their Families. There are more than 700 children in the state foster care system and local DCYF offices have to look outside their county to place children. “I’d like to meet with Gov. (Maggie) Hassan and discuss how we can get more foster parents involved,” said Conroy.

Conroy has volunteered at the Dover’s Children Home and will attend its next event on Feb. 17, the signature bowl-a-thon.

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John Huff/Staff photographer
Mrs. New Hampshire America 2013 and Barrington resident Tess Conroy meets with Foster’s Daily Democrat recently for her first interview.

In the pageant, judges rated the contestants in a number of areas: swimsuit 25 percent; evening gown 25 percent; and the judges’ interview 50 percent. The judges were Kim Savage Bass, Audra Paquette Burns, Mark McAdams and Todd Ward. Wynette DeGroot, served as the judging panel’s chair. Conroy knocked the competition out of the ballpark and won based on beauty, poise and her dedication to community.

“The friendships are what I will take with me. My roommate, Sarah Dubois, won Mrs. Congeniality,” said Conroy.

Mrs. New Hampshire America 2013 will go on to compete against 50 married women at the National Mrs. America 2013 pageant to be held at the Lowes Ventana Cana Resort in Tucson, Arizona, Aug. 28, 2013.

“My husband and I have an old R/V, we want to take it cross country to the event,” said Conroy.

Prizes from the competition included an all expense paid trip to the 2013 Mrs. America Pageant, an official Mrs. New Hampshire state crown, pageant coaching for the Mrs. America Pageant from the Mrs. New Hampshire staff, and of course her satin sash with encrusted rhinestones.

Kristen and Chris Caisse are the co-directors of the Mrs. New Hampshire American Pageant system and Kristen has held many local, state and regional titles. She was crowned Mrs. New Hampshire in 2009.

The Mrs. America pageant is a nationally televised event that has been in existence since 1977. The winner of Mrs. America will go on to compete in the Mrs. World pageant.